Sunday, October 20, 2013

NEWS RELEASE: OCTOBER 9-16, 2013

October 9, 2013

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Broward County holds largest high school marching band festival
Thirty of Broward County's best high school marching bands will be competing in the Florida Bandmasters Association Performance Assessment on Oct. 26. The Marching Band Festival will take place at Coral Springs High School, 7201 West Sample Road.

Alumni to be inducted into Broward Education Foundation Hall of Fame
The Broward Education Foundation (BEF), a nonprofit organization that supports public schools in Broward County,will be honoring seven "Hall of Fame Distinguished" alumni inductees at a breakfast Oct. 23, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m., at the Global Grille and Event Center, 301 E Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. This inaugural event is part of the Foundation's 30th anniversary, and an opportunity to showcase many of the outstanding leaders educated in the community's public schools.

Broward plan overhauls pay for principals
A new plan for paying Broward's principals will factor in a school's size and its number of low-income or special needs students. The school district proposal, set to kick in next year, would overhaul the current salary structure, which is based on years of experience and school level (elementary, middle, high school or alternative center).
 
 
October 10 & 11, 2013

Students take charge in hurricane simulation
On Thursday, the fate of South Florida lay in the hands of a group of seventh-graders. Hurricane Barbara, a Category 3 storm, had just struck, leaving an overcrowded hospital without enough food or water. Senior citizens were stranded on an island after an ocean tanker smashed the connecting bridge. Water-logged communities needed to be evacuated. About 50 students from New River Middle in Fort Lauderdale huddled in groups at Broward's Emergency Operations Center in Plantation, trying to determine how to relay help and save lives.

Runcie Virtual School Superintendent of Year
Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) Superintendent Robert Runcie is being recognized by Florida Virtual School as Superintendent of the Year. Runcie shares the honor with Mark Rains, superintendent of the Dixie County School District.

6 Broward cities to add police at elementaries
Elementary schools in six Broward cities will soon be getting something new on campus — police officers. The Broward school district agreed to spend $555,000 for 12 officers to patrol schools in Hollywood, Coconut Creek, Pembroke Pines, Wilton Manors, Lauderhill and Davie.

Broward County to Add 12 Officers to Patrol Elementary Schools in Six Cities
The municipalities would hire the officers and see how to divy them up throughout the schools.

Parkland Residents Speak Out To School Board Members Regarding Boundary Changes
On Wednesday night, parents had the chance to ask their school board members questions in their “Conversation with the District” event at Coral Springs High School. On many parent’s minds were the recent proposals involving boundary changes affecting Parkland schools which threatened to divide one community, and as well as send many on busses far away from their homes.

U.S. 27 to vary speed limit near school
For the first time, speed limits will vary along a stretch of U.S. 27, based on what's going at West Broward High School in Pembroke Pines.


October 15, 2013

Broward School District Adds More Cops in Schools
Ever since the Broward School District found money to help pay for 12 more school resource officers, Panther Run has her all to itself, instead of sharing her with two other schools. It’s peace of mind in the post-Sandy Hook era.

Charter school employees sue for unpaid wages
Almost a dozen employees of a now-shuttered charter school in Fort Lauderdale are suing the school's founder for unpaid wages. The separate lawsuits, filed in Broward County Court this month, allege Trayvon Mitchell, founder of Ivy Academy middle and high school, owes some of his former employees more than $40,000 total.
October 16, 2013

Margate charter school closes after failing to pay rent
Another charter school in Broward has closed, this time for failing to pay its rent. On Tuesday, School Board members accepted the voluntary termination of College Bound Academy of Excellence, a school for sixth to 12th grades that opened this year in Margate.

Broward Schools’ facilities department faces criticism over outsourcing deal
The Broward school district’s attempt to outsource much of its facilities department — a move designed to restore credibility — has instead raised new questions.